The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-11-11
Indians Prosecuted By Whites.

WAsHINGTON. Oct. 30.-Soms weeks
ago the military authorities of Arizona
Territory reported to the War Depart
ment that The Sheriff OF PInal county
held warrants. the legality OF which was
questioned, for the arrest or ESk imlZ:n
and twenty seven o,har Indians, living
on the San Pedro River in that terrific
~, upon charges OF grand larcency and
resisting arrest, and had called upon
Capt. Pierce, the commanding military
officer at San Carlos Agency. who is
also acting Indian Agrnt, 10 aid him in
making the arrests. General Miles, IN
reporting the matter 10 General Howard,
expressed the opinion that an attempted
arrest of these twenty eight Indians oy
local civil officers wound prove serious
matter, if il did not involve the terri
tory in an Indian war. The whole his
tory of the affair is now made public in
a report just received at the Indian
Office from Lieut.. J. w. Watson, OF the
Tenth Cavalry. transmitted py Capt.
Pierce, from which il appears that the
Indians have long been the victims OF
outrageous prosecutions by the whites.
From thS Indian officials it is learned
that EskimiZin was, until within the
last few years. the head chief of The
Arsvaipa and PInal Apaches, for whose
occupation the san Carlos reservation
was originally established. He was a
powerful chief and had great influence
with his tribe, of which the since nOtori-
Gus Geronimo was member. Nine
years ago ESkimiZin and a number OF
his followers, Of their own accord,
desiring TO live in peace with the whites.
abandoned their tribal relations and
took up lands III the Sau Pedro Valley
under the Iudian homestead law. They
built comfortable houses and barns,
irrigated and fencsd their lands, and by
their own unaided industry accumulated
considerable property. It was AL entirely
new departure in the history Of these
hitherto fierce Apaches, and the Interior
Department did everything III Its power
To assist aud protect them, as did also
the officers of the army statloued IN the
vicinity.
Before long, however, white settlers
began 10 encroach upon their lands. and
unsuccessful attempts were made 10
dispOssess them by filing upon the very
tracts 10 which the Indians had initia. ed
title. The report shows that since that
time they have been the constant vic
tins OF maltreatment, tricksry, threats
Of violence and Impositions IN number
iess WAYS. Many of them have been
arrested, the report asserts, and taken
before distant Justices or the Peace for
trial Upon trumped-up charges of one
character OF another, and all for the
sole purpose Of ultimately driving them
from their good homes that the whites
may take possession of them.
These prosecuti Dns, the report contin-
ues, nave never caused the Indians TO
Tetaliate, but they have accomplished
their purpose IN driving Eskim'zln aud
his little band from the San Pedro back
10 their Old reservation. EskimiZin
says he does not wisE 10 struggle longer
and he has come back, hoping for
home and protection from the whites
on the reservation. He and his people
LETT behind them everything they pos
sesssd. The old chief left a good home,
ihlTtY-hve cattle, farming implements,
80 sacks ui corn, u quantity Of wheat
and barley, good wagon and harness,
and household furniture. Everything
was abandoned 20 the whites.
The last act Of hostility on the part
Of The whites was the arrest of six of
the Indians, IL Is said, upon false
charges and the attempted arrest of
twenty-eight others referred to above.
The SheJif or Pihal county has made A
demand upon Captain Pierce for the
surrender OF the accused. which. on Oct.
10, the date OF Captain ?ierce's letter of
transmiifal, had not been complied
with. The Indian officials pronounce
the afli shameful outrage upon peace
ful and law abiding Indians, and will
take such steps "a may be necessary to
restore TO the Indians their abandoned
property.